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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22869163">Not Much Of A Suitor</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lafaiette/pseuds/Lafaiette'>Lafaiette</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Three Houses Ships [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Blood, F/M, Fluff, Honeymoon, Hubert and Byleth just got married and he is a DISASTER, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Marriage, if you thought he was awkward af in 'to be a good husband', then you will find him being a complete dork here ashdfjkgkfg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:01:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22869163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lafaiette/pseuds/Lafaiette</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She had given him her only family heirloom, the only thing she had left of her parents. He had given her a bare hand, with no symbol of his everlasting love for her on it.</p><p>Hubert and Byleth get married, but a ring is still missing and he feels terrible about it.</p><p>Set before <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20607713">To Be A Good Husband</a></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>My Unit | Byleth/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Three Houses Ships [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1481567</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>270</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their marriage was quiet, with only their closest friends invited to it.</p><p>There was no Goddess or faith involved – only Lady Edelgard acting as a judge, secular vows, and a few papers to sign. Their friends sat on comfortable, plush chairs, no pamphlets or choir segments to sing in their hands.</p><p>They held the ceremony in a large room of the Imperial Palace decorated with blooming flowers and satin ribbons on the windows. Hubert knew Byleth had helped with the decorations and he was unsurprised by the lack of more vibrant colours – she, like him, didn’t like dressing things up too much.</p><p>Her dress was fairly simple, too. White, with long sleeves and a short train, all made of lace with a few faint pink accents here and there. She had a veil, but she had decided not to let it cover her face, instead pinning it behind her head.</p><p>She was stunning, he thought, but he wasn’t able to tell her so, words and mouth failing him.</p><p>He felt disgusting, a wretch, as he watched her walk across the aisle.</p><p>He had taken care of the documents and the general planning of the ceremony – that had caused a serious lack of time in his schedule, which had prevented him from finding a suitable ring for her. He could have asked a servant to find one in one of the most beautiful jewelry shops of the Empire, but the thought had left a bad taste in his mouth.</p><p>He wanted to find it – no, he wanted to be the one who would accompany Byleth and buy her the one she would most prefer. At that point, it was the only thing he could do and perhaps the best option. He didn’t trust his tastes in rings and jewelry, he had never understood much about that unfamiliar, glittering, delicate world.</p><p>He hoped she would like that gesture, that buying it together would make up for his stupidity. But as she smiled at him, elated and bright like a star, he felt like a failure.</p><p>She had given him her only family heirloom, the only thing she had left of her parents. He had given her a bare hand, with no symbol of his everlasting love for her on it.</p><p>He had always considered actual gestures of love to be more important than mere gifts, but a <em>marriage ring </em>was something else entirely. He felt he had already offended her and her reputation in front of everyone – even in front of other people and the servants, who knew about the ceremony and would surely find ways to discover what had happened, how the guests were dressed like, if the poor bride had been crying.</p><p>He knew about the rumours. He knew what people said about him and his union with Byleth – that she had been forced by the Emperor, that he had threatened her, that she had done it for the money and the prestige.</p><p>He knew about the comments about his looks – how Byleth, so beautiful and attractive, would wilt and perish under his touch, after a few months together. Once, he had heard two maids say she would run away, too frightened and disgusted by his mannerisms and the rules of House Vestra.</p><p>He tried to push those thoughts away as they held hands in front of Lady Edelgard. He needed his voice to be firm and confident to recite his vows.</p><p>He glanced at his future wife every few minutes – there was a beautiful smile on her face, content and calm. Her hand – <em>bare, naked, with no ring – </em>wasn’t trembling, it wasn’t sweaty, while his hands were wet under his gloves and he couldn’t stop a tic that kept moving his right wrist.</p><p>Her face was slightly flushed, though, pink like her lips. And as he looked at them, he realized he would soon kiss her. It was to be their first kiss, since he had never found the courage to approach her like that before their marriage.</p><p>He swallowed what felt like a stone in his throat and tried to pay attention to the ceremony. Lady Edelgard was crying tears of joy, her smile wide and sincere, and he could hear sniffles and soft whispers behind his back.</p><p>Finally, Lady Edelgard finished reading and smiled at him and Byleth.</p><p>“It is time for your vows.” She nodded at him and he cleared his throat, turning to his future wife, his brilliant Byleth with starry eyes and blue curls.</p><p>He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and spoke:</p><p>“Byleth Eisner, I, Hubert Von Vestra, swore to love, protect, and cherish you for the rest of our days.”</p><p>At that point, tradition wanted the groom to slip the ring on the bride’s finger, but he had none. He could only hide his shame and embarrassment by bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it.</p><p>He could hear their friends whisper some more from the chairs – he could <em>feel </em>Ferdinand and Dorothea’s glares on his skin, taste the surprise of Bernadetta and Linhardt in the air, imagine Petra and Caspar’s confusion in his mind.</p><p>Even Lady Edelgard was staring at him with something akin to furious disappointment.</p><p>But Byleth kept smiling at him, unfazed, and she accepted his vows with all the joy in the world.</p><p>The ring she had given him was resting on his finger, under the glove. Nobody – except for Lady Edelgard – had seen it yet; Byleth would only need to remove the glove, hold his hand high for the light to hit the precious stones so that everyone could see <em>his </em>engagement ring, and recite her vows in return.</p><p>She didn’t do that. She held his hand like he had held hers, but she didn’t uncover it. She spoke:</p><p>“Hubert Von Vestra, I, Byleth Eisner, swore to love, protect, and cherish you for the rest of our days.”</p><p>And then she kissed his hand, following his example. He felt that, together, they had created a new tradition.</p><p>He tried not to cry. Tears didn’t usually come easy to him – he had learned to push them back until they couldn’t bother him with their sting -, but he had cried once during the war, when Byleth had disappeared under the rubble of the Monastery. He had done so in the loneliness of an empty, dark room, receiving no comfort.</p><p>Now, he was about to cry again, this time <em>in front of everyone</em>. He used every technique his father had taught him, but when the time came for him to press his lips on Byleth’s, he felt two or three tears run down his gaunt, pale cheeks.</p><p>Her mouth was soft and it tasted good. He didn’t know how to move, how to correctly tilt his head, and his hands were gripping hers with too much strength, but she seemed to like it, for she kept smiling into their kiss.</p><p>When they broke it, his face was hot and red. He managed to smile at her, but he wasn’t sure he was a good sight.</p><p>They signed the papers to confirm their union before the law of the Adrestian Empire – with that, the ceremony was over. They would leave the Palace to ride a carriage that would bring them to a quiet place in the country, where they would stay a few days for their honeymoon. It was going to be his first break from his job in his whole life.</p><p>He was a little bit worried about it. He trusted his friends, the other Ministers, to do a good job and help Her Majesty during his and Byleth’s absence, but he was afraid of his perfectionism, of his need to have everything under control.</p><p>He hoped staying away from the Palace wouldn’t be too difficult for him, not when Byleth’s happiness was involved. He wanted to give her a beautiful, romantic honeymoon – but his mind didn’t always work well, even when his heart was set about something.</p><p>Then, he realized they would spend their first night together in just a few hours. They would share an entire house, a <em>bed</em>, and she would certainly expect him to be a good husband under the covers, to cover her body with kisses and give her pleasure upon pleasure.</p><p>But he had never laid with a woman before. He had never even kissed one before that day and he didn’t know many things about pleasuring one – his life had always been devoted to practical matters related to the Imperial Princess, not romance.</p><p>Also, had he been interested in love before, he would have found no one interested in him and his looks, he was sure of it. He was too unsettling, too creepy, too dangerous. No sane woman would have been attracted to him, even if his attire and face hadn’t been so gloomy and upsetting.</p><p>Did that mean Byleth wasn’t sane? He had often wondered how she could love someone like him, and he hadn’t been the only one. He had heard servants, soldiers, guards, and even their friends talk about it. He still hadn’t found the courage to directly ask her.</p><p>He timidly, discreetly eyed her bosom as their friends complimented them and prepared to accompany them to the carriage outside. He longed for her touch, to finally embrace her naked form after all those years of pining and hidden love. He wanted to make her feel good above anything else, but he wasn’t sure he knew how.</p><p>Would she realize how foolish she had been in marrying him after seeing his sickly pale body? After noticing his quirks and faults which would surely stand out while living together in the same house?</p><p>He had already made a serious mistake – not finding and giving her a ring in time. He hoped, <em>swore</em>, he wouldn’t make any more, but he was a disaster in such matters, had no experience whatsoever, and he felt disgusting the more he saw her walk under the sunlight entering from the high, large windows. She looked like a true goddess, unlike the fake one they had so recently destroyed.</p><p>He could see that even Lady Edelgard and the others were worried about it. When they left the Palace and approached the carriage waiting for them in a closed-off courtyard, Her Majesty quietly walked to him and whispered in his ear:</p><p>“Treat her well, Hubert.”</p><p>He blinked, hurt and surprised. Did she doubt him, too? Of course he would treat her well – he <em>loved </em>her! Was it truly so strange to see him in love? Was it so difficult to imagine him not being cold, distant, and smug with another human being?</p><p>“Of course, Your Majesty.” he replied softly, hiding his mortification. He waited for Byleth to say goodbye to Bernadetta, Petra, and Dorothea, then helped her climb onto the carriage. She didn’t have a bouquet to throw, but she had some beautiful flowers adorning her veil; she handed those to her friends from the window of the carriage, one for each of them.</p><p>Hubert said goodbye, too, inclining his head and even smiling. Nobody commented on his chances of being a good husband – everyone actually wished him and Byleth a great time and a lot of happiness -, but he could still see the surprise and bewilderment in their eyes, the same he had seen when he and Byleth had announced their engagement.</p><p>
  <em>Why did the Professor choose him? How did she fall in love with him? Will she find happiness with him?</em>
</p><p>Finally, it was time to depart. The carriage moved, leaving the Empress and all their friends behind, and before long it had left the grounds of the Imperial Palace, running swiftly through the streets of Enbarr.</p><p>Now that they were alone, Hubert’s nerves came back and he swallowed quietly as he turned to Byleth, <em>his wife, his wife, his wife.</em></p><p>She was still smiling at him, her hand in his.</p><p>“Did you enjoy it?” he asked, his voice a bit hoarse.</p><p>“Of course!” Byleth leaned on his arm, looking up at him. His heart beat faster. “It was all very elegant and romantic, Hubert.”</p><p>“Yes, indeed.”</p><p>He wondered if he could kiss her again. Their first kiss had already spoiled him, for he desired another one, and another one, and one more after that.</p><p>“Thank you for not showing the ring you gave me.” He looked away. “I… I couldn’t find the time to… to… I could have sent a servant, but it didn’t seem…”</p><p>He sighed, knowing there were no real excuses for his mistake. He was just an idiot, a complete failure. He could kill enemies with a flick of his wrist, find any kind of secret, help protect an Empire, but he had been unable to find a ring for his wife.</p><p>“Hubert. I don’t need a ring.” She rested her other hand on top of his. He slowly pulled it away to remove his damned gloves and finally feel her skin on his. She smiled again when he did so and his heart skipped a beat.</p><p>“I heard the house we chose for our honeymoon is very pretty.” she said, clearly wanting him to relax and stop worrying. “Edelgard told me it’s surrounded by a small forest with a stream flowing near the road.”</p><p>“Yes, and it’s quite comfortable. Two elderly servants are waiting for us there. They will help us with everything we may need.” He hurried to reassure her: “Don’t worry, they are trusted people, I looked into it very carefully. Also, they will go back to their house every evening, leaving after dinner.”</p><p>“Oh?” She smiled coyly at him. “We will be all alone at night, then.”</p><p>He cleared his throat, feeling heat rise on his face.</p><p>“Yes, that’s correct.”</p><p>She giggled and he smiled at her, pleasantly surprised. His love for her was strong as ever and he wondered how he had managed to hide it for so long, so fierce it was inside his heart.</p><p>Just when he found the courage to lean down to kiss her, hoping not to bother her, he caught the glimpse of <em>something</em> out of the window of the carriage. He didn’t believe in any deity, but perhaps that was a small sign the world in general was giving him.</p><p>Perhaps he still could fix his terrible mistake.</p><p>“Stop the carriage!” he shouted, making Byleth jump. He kissed her hands to apologize, then leapt out, trying to reassure her as best as he could: “I will be back shortly. Please, wait for me here…”</p><p>He tried to say <em>my love</em>, <em>my beloved wife</em>, <em>my dear</em>, <em>my heart</em>. But curious people were watching them, the driver was looking at him with alarm, and her eyes were full of confusion and a bit of fear. Did she fear he had changed his mind about it all? As if he could stop loving her, that wonderful woman who had stolen his black heart!</p><p>“… dear Byleth.”</p><p>
  <em>Very smooth, you idiot.</em>
</p><p>He inwardly groaned and closed the door, before running towards his destination, which lied just around the corner they had just passed.</p><p>He had changed his mind, yes, but not about the marriage. In a few seconds, his mind had planned a surprise, one which would hopefully make her happy and smile for many days.</p><p>Instead of taking her to a jewelry shop, letting her experience mortification in choosing her own wedding ring for herself, he would find it for her <em>now </em>and give it to her in the warmth and comfort of their honeymoon house. That was a definitely better plan, he decided.</p><p>Now all he had to do was choose a good, beautiful ring – one he knew she would like. He had been a terrible suitor – he swore he would be a good husband.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hubert almost tripped into the shop, but managed to recover himself before the woman behind the counter could see him. He cleared his throat and she looked up from the boxes she was tidying up.</p><p>“Welcome, sir. How may I help you?”</p><p>She apparently hadn't recognized him – not everyone in the city knew what their Ministers looked like and he was almost always cooped up in the Imperial Palace. But he was glad for that – the less problems and embarrassment he caused for Byleth, the better.</p><p>The woman noticed his formal, ceremonial-like clothes, though, and curiosity appeared in her eyes when he approached a transparent case containing only expensive-looking rings.</p><p>“I need one.” he said, voice too hoarse for his liking. “A gift for my wife.”</p><p>“Of course, sir. Do you have a particular style in mind?”</p><p>His mind went blank at that. The rings displayed in the case were undoubtedly beautiful, but he wasn’t sure Byleth would like their large stones, intricate golden carvings, and thick bands. They looked too tacky, so different from her simple, but bewitching beauty and her complex soul and mind.</p><p>“It all depends on your wife’s tastes, I guess. You could start from her favourite colour or material, sir.”</p><p>He blushed, embarrassed. He knew Byleth’s food tastes, but she had never shown much interest in accessories. In fact, he had always seen her wear the same clothes, always combine the same hues, but that didn’t mean she particularly loved those; hers was a mercenary background, built on usefulness and recycling, a world where personal tastes were less important than personal needs.</p><p>A way of living similar to his own, after all, but the problem at hand remained, his ignorance was still shameful – he did not know his wife’s tastes and the lady realized that.</p><p>“Oh, well…!” She laughed nervously, trying not to embarrass her customer further. “It happens all the time, sir, I assure you. Many husbands don’t know such things, at first.”</p><p>He doubted that, and even if that was true, he had to do better than the common man who knew nothing about his wife. Byleth deserved better.</p><p>“How long have you been married, if I may ask?” the lady continued, taking some wooden boxes from behind the counter. There were more rings inside, less garish than the ones Hubert was still staring at.</p><p>He swallowed his shame.</p><p><em>Only an hour</em>, he thought, but he couldn’t possibly tell her that. He couldn’t, for what if she <em>had </em>indeed recognized him and would later tell all Enbarr that Byleth Von Vestra-Eisner had not received any wedding band from her husband?</p><p>“Show me these, please.” he said, approaching the counter, hoping she wouldn’t insist.</p><p>She didn’t, but he didn’t miss the way she raised her eyebrows while taking out more boxes, thinking he couldn’t see her.</p><p>“If you’re unsure about the gems, you could try with diamonds, sir. It’s hard to go wrong with those.”</p><p>But nearly all the rings she showed him were <em>enormous</em>, way too big for Byleth’s delicate hand, way too heavy for her lithe finger. He couldn’t imagine her wearing one of those – but perhaps that was just <em>his </em>personal taste refraining him? What if she would actually love receiving a ring like that, with a diamond as large as an egg?</p><p>Hubert sighed through his nose and made his choice, hoping it was the right one.</p><p> </p><p>- - -</p><p> </p><p>The carriage was still where he had left it. Fortunately, people had recognized its sleek, rich form and they had seen the Imperial insignia on its sides and had left it alone, knowing whoever it belonged to wouldn’t want to be bothered. The curtains of the small windows had been closed, thus sparing Byleth from an embarrassing staring.  </p><p>The driver tipped his hat off to him to greet him back and Hubert nodded in response, before climbing in. Byleth hadn’t moved either – hands in her lap, she was looking at the velvety cushions in front of her.</p><p>A smile bloomed on her face when she saw him enter.</p><p>“Apologies.” he mumbled, cheeks red, the small package hidden in one of his pockets. He knocked on the roof to let the driver know they could resume their trip to the honeymoon house.</p><p>“Is everything alright?” Byleth asked as he sat back next to her and took her hand.</p><p>“Yes.” He smiled a bit weakly. “I am sorry, I had to run one last errand.”</p><p>“For Edelgard?” She was happy, perfectly calm, with no malice or jealousy in her voice, but he felt bad, for she thought – like everyone else – that any errand of his would be related to Her Majesty.</p><p>That wouldn’t be true anymore, now that they were married.</p><p>“No. It was a personal one.”</p><p>Byleth looked at him with surprise and confusion.</p><p>“Isn’t an errand for Edelgard a personal one as well?”</p><p>He grimaced. No matter how much he insisted, no matter how much he tried to show his feelings for Byleth in better, clearer ways, the whole world still believed he couldn’t focus on her, despite she being his wife, his love, his dearest one. It was true his life had always revolved around Lady Edelgard, but he could be his own person, too – he <em>would </em>be his own person for his wife’s sake and happiness.</p><p>“Not always.” he replied, finding the courage to press a kiss on her forehead. Byleth smiled at him, her cheeks as pink as her lips, and he thought of what waited for them in their temporary home and then in their permanent one, the manor with no territories built not far from Enbarr.</p><p>He swallowed quietly and asked after a while:</p><p>“Do… Do you think you will be happy with me?”</p><p>Byleth’s serious, wise eyes found his even though he was trying his best not to look directly at her.</p><p>“Of course, Hubert!” She squeezed his hand, studying his face, looking for what was troubling him. “Are you having doubts about yourself again?”</p><p>He shook his head, but he was lying. He always had doubts when it came to himself and his qualities as a husband.</p><p>“Forgive me the rude question.” he said with another timid smile. He kissed her forehead again, ending the conversation, and she didn’t insist. She rested her head on his shoulder and the trip quietly went on.</p><p> </p><p>- - -</p><p> </p><p>The house was truly lovely like Byleth had said.</p><p>It stood in a nook full of nature and greenery – a small stream ran near it and there was an orchard in the back, well taken care of.</p><p>The elderly couple that would see to their needs waited for them at the main entrance. They bowed when Hubert and Byleth got out of the carriage and the old lady congratulated them with a warm smile.</p><p>“Would you like to see the house before retiring to your quarters?”</p><p>Hubert wasn’t particularly tired, but he nodded all the same, noticing Byleth’s smile and the flush on her cheeks. He knew how strong she was, but perhaps the stress of the day, united with the heaviness of her dress, was making her long for a bit of rest.</p><p>Or perhaps she wanted to lie with him as soon as possible – and that was probably what the elderly couple was expecting them to do, judging from their amused, but kind smiles and understanding looks.</p><p>He <em>wanted </em>to make love to her as well… but he wasn’t sure he would do a good job at it. He wasn’t even sure how well he would let her sleep afterwards, since he had never slept with another person in the same bed before, and he was sure his instincts would scream at him to wake up and attack the intruder.</p><p>But Byleth wasn’t an intruder – she was his wife, the woman he loved, and he had to – wanted to – take care of her like she deserved. She didn’t deserve a nervous husband making a blunder after another in their married life.</p><p>“Shall we go?” Byleth asked, her smile still there, and he offered her his arm, smiling as well, hoping he didn’t look too ugly.</p><p> </p><p>- - -</p><p> </p><p>The tour of the house lasted way too little for his tastes. By the time they reached their bedroom, he was feeling weak and feverish. He could command battalions, spies, soak his hand in blood without batting an eye, but <em>this</em>? This was too much.</p><p>Byleth unceremoniously kicked off her shoes, letting out a relieved sigh, as soon as the door closed. He had to pinch the thin skin of his wrist to stop staring at her stocking-clad feet and legs he caught a glimpse of when she sat on the large bed.</p><p>It wasn’t night yet, but the elderly servants had already prepared a light meal for dinner – it was waiting for them on the big oak table at the centre of the room. They would see them again only tomorrow morning, for breakfast.</p><p>They were alone and Hubert felt cornered, not by Byleth, but by his own fears. He, who never showed his inner turmoil, who never let his emotions escape from the perfectly crafted mask he always wore, was now like a shivering fawn, newborn and scared of the smallest sounds.</p><p>So much for being the cold, ruthless Count Vestra everyone feared. His iron will and his courage were gone, destroyed by marital responsibilities and physical touch.</p><p><em>She will find me disgusting</em>, he thought, knowing how unsightly his scars were. Many had been caused by dark magic and the strain it had on the human body; others were proof of the many battles he had taken part in before and during the war, and they were equally ugly.</p><p>“Hubert?” she called him, and her voice calmed him a bit. He slowly approached her, timidly, and sat next to her on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch her with his pale hands. His nails were short, darker than normal due to years spent casting dark, life-draining spells.</p><p><em>Yes. Disgusting</em>, he thought bitterly, before allowing himself to admire Byleth’s beautiful hands and toned arms for a second.</p><p>“Hubert, may I ask you a favour?”</p><p>His head snapped up and he met her eyes. He was good at doing services for those he cared about – he wasn’t sure he could make her feel good in bed, but he would try, he would try <em>so hard</em>, and he would do whatever she asked of him.</p><p>“Of course.” He rested his hand on the bed, palm upward, so that she could decide whether to take it or not. She did and the gesture warmed him up.</p><p>“Could…” She looked down at her feet. “Could we wait a bit before having sex? I know we are supposed to do it the first night of our honeymoon, but…”</p><p>He stared at her with wide eyes.</p><p>“But I never slept with someone before and I fear I’m not ready yet.” She was avoiding his eyes and her voice was calm, collected, so much he thought she was lying for his sake. Perhaps she was more than ready, but had noticed <em>his </em>fear and wanted to wait for him.</p><p>But what if she wasn’t lying? He shouldn’t insist, then, nor ask more. He would offend or hurt her.</p><p>“Are you sure?” he simply asked, softly, and she gave him a small, frail smile.</p><p>“I know you must be disappointed…”</p><p>“I’m not, Byleth. I swear it.”</p><p>She looked surprised, and so he hurried to explain:</p><p>“I… I’m not ready either.” He cleared his throat and shook his head with a funny grimace on his face. “I never did this and there are many things I don’t know or I’m not sure about. I want this to be good for you.”</p><p>He placed his other hand on top of hers and his grimace turned into a smile.</p><p>“We could… We could learn together. One step at a time.”</p><p>Byleth smiled, too, and that sight melted away all the nervousness he had felt until now. He still had doubts about himself, but he and Byleth were married. Married people faced things together, did they not? He would be there for her and he knew she would support him, too – hand in hand, they would reach the sky.</p><p>“Do you think the servants will talk?” she suddenly asked, shy, eyeing the bed. Hubert blinked rapidly, not sure he understood.</p><p>“Why should they? They aren’t even here for the night. They would have no way of knowing we didn’t lie together during the first night of our honeymoon.” He frowned, not wanting her to feel under pressure. “Also, that is a foolish rule which makes no sense. Just because it’s considered customary to have sex the first night, it doesn’t mean we have to do it at all costs.”</p><p>“I know, but…” She sighed and he tightened his hold on her hand. “I don’t want people to think you are a bad husband or that our relationship is built on hatred. There are already too many ugly rumours about us.”</p><p>He scooted closer to her and leaned in, his eyes fixed on the soft lines of her face, on her ears, on her veil-adorned hair.</p><p>“They won’t know we didn’t do anything.”</p><p>“… They won’t find any blood on the sheets.”</p><p>He looked at the bed, then at Byleth again. Her eyes were downcast, her cheeks red. The dying light of the day hit her dress and the glimpse of her legs beneath it, making them look like amber.</p><p>“That’s easily fixable.” he smiled, kissing her cheek.</p><p>He retrieved a small dagger concealed under his sleeve – he was always ready for anything and he had been doubly prepared on the day of his wedding, in case Those Who Slithered in the Dark had somehow learned of the ceremony.</p><p>Byleth wasn’t surprised to see it, but she gasped when he walked to the bed, pulled the blanket away and cut his palm right above the pristine sheets. A few crimson droplets stained the white cotton – once Hubert thought there were enough, he healed the minor cut (his abysmal faith abilities good only to heal such small wounds) and went back to his wife.</p><p>Byleth beamed at him and he smiled back, happy and satisfied.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>She gently took the dagger from him, rose, and added her own blood to his. The stain grew, maybe a little too much, and she blinked at it as if it had betrayed her.</p><p>“Oh. Maybe I exaggerated.”</p><p>“Heh.” Hubert chuckled, giving her a loving, amused look. “They will think I <em>impaled</em> you.”</p><p>Then he realized what he had just said and his face turned as scarlet as the blood on the sheets. He looked away, embarrassed and ashamed of his words, when Byleth giggled.</p><p>“I… I apologise.”</p><p>“Don’t! You are very sweet, Hubert.”</p><p>She crossed the short distance between them to plant a kiss on his cheek, while pushing the dagger back into his hand. Their blood was mixed on it, a ruby sheen on the sharp blade. It didn’t surprise him that blood had appeared on the day of their marriage, although not in the way their envious enemies had imagined.</p><p>He healed her wound – the least he could do for her – and finally met her eyes.</p><p>“I have something for you.” he blurted out and she, as wise as ever, nodded with one of her beautiful smiles.</p><p>“I suspected as much.”</p><p>“I…” He turned to place the dagger on the oak table, far from their untouched dinner. Sunlight was almost gone from the room and he waved a hand to light the candles.</p><p>“I hope you will like it. I’m not sure about my tastes in such matters, but…”</p><p>He felt her hand on his shoulder, a comforting weight. Her bare feet had made no sound on the wooden floor and he once again found himself looking at her legs, at the shape of her body hidden by the white layers of her wedding dress.</p><p>“Hubert, I love you. That’s why I married you.” Her other hand cupped his cheek and he raised his head to look at her face, round and flushed. She had a small scar behind her left ear, visible only so up close. He felt lucky of being able to see it.</p><p>“Why do you have so many doubts?” she continued, worry creasing her brow and the corners of her mouth. “This isn’t like you.”</p><p>“I tend to have them when I’m deeply unsure about my capabilities in a certain… field.” His next smile was a bit smug. “You never saw me act like this before because I am pretty much perfect as a vassal for Her Majesty.”</p><p>She snorted, a cute unladylike sound that made his heart beat faster.</p><p>“But you <em>are </em>unsure about being a husband?”</p><p>“Not unsure about my new status, no.” He sighed and rummaged into the pocket of his pants. His long fingers easily found the small box of the jewelry shop.</p><p>“I am simply not confident about my <em>qualities</em> as a husband.” He didn’t pray any deity, but he <em>hoped </em>that she would like the ring. Her bare hands were on his shoulders, with no glinting, no sparkle, no light on them. Not yet.</p><p>“I know you will do a great job, Hubert.” Byleth’s smile was warm – it reminded him of the sun which had entered from the windows of the Imperial Palace during the ceremony, ribbons of light that had played with her hair.</p><p>“I again thank you for your trust.” He finally took out the box and showed it to her with a mortified look on his gaunt face. “For now, please accept this humble gift. I apologise for taking so long.”</p><p>Her smile gave him the strength to keep looking at her as she opened the box. Inside, there was a diamond ring. The gem wasn’t big, but it wasn’t particularly small either, and it shone beautifully in the candlelight.</p><p>It had looked even shinier in the jewelry shop and he hoped it would look that beautiful again in the morning. But anything would look lovely on Byleth’s hand, he thought as she gasped and stroked it with her fingertip.</p><p>“Oh, Hubert, it’s gorgeous!”</p><p>He let out a relieved sigh he had held in his chest for hours.</p><p>“Is… Is the diamond to your liking?”</p><p>“Of course.” Her eyes and her smile were brighter than all the gems he had seen in the shop. “It’s perfect, Hubert. I never saw… I never had something like this before.” She shot him one of her Professor-like glares. “It must have cost you an arm and a leg.”</p><p>“I don’t look at the price when I’m buying a gift for my wife.” He delicately took the ring between his thumb and index finger and slipped it on her finger. Finding the right size had been easy – he had stared at her hands and studied them an embarrassing number of times in the past -, but he was happy all the same to see he had got it right at the first try.</p><p>“There.” he said softly, reverently, glad that she was still wearing her wedding gown. “Now you truly are as bright as the morning star.”</p><p>His heart felt so light, so soft, like a soap bubble floating in the air. And when Byleth rose on her tiptoes to kiss him, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, forgetting about his fears and doubts.</p><p>They tossed the blood-soiled sheets in a basked near the door, then put new, fresh ones on the bed before changing into their nightclothes. They also cleaned and hid the knife back in Hubert’s jacket.</p><p>Byleth was used to sharing a bed with another person, since she had spent her entire childhood with her father and his large group of mercenaries. She giggled and reassured him when Hubert apologised in advance for the sudden awakenings he would probably subject her to.</p><p>“I kick a lot.” she confessed as they held hands above the coverlet, their feet touching under it.</p><p>“Heh.” He grinned, squeezing her sparkly fingers. “I will bravely face the assault for the sake of your sleeping schedule.”</p><p>“I may also snore a little.” She pouted before he could reply, noticing his slight surprise. “Only a little!”</p><p>“Don’t worry.” His smile was silly, mischievous, and lovestruck all at the same time. “I will make sure to snore louder to cover your sounds and avoid you a huge embarrassment.”</p><p>She groaned and leaned closer to him, while he laughed carefreely. She smiled, hearing him laugh like that, and soon followed him.</p><p>He raised their joined hands and their rings shone together under the light of the moon. He knew he still had a long way to go before he could consider himself a good husband, but he was ready to do anything to make Byleth happy. He would fight, bleed, and kill for her, but also laugh, hope, and dream.</p><p>And for the first time in his life, he welcomed the vertigo he felt while standing on this new cliff, on this new peak from where this unfamiliar, lovely sky was visible. A sky he and Byleth would explore together, for all the years to come.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And it's complete! ( ´ ▽ ` ) I LOVED writing this chapter, awkward Hubert and Byleth making the first steps in their married life are so funny to write!</p><p>I apologize for the delay - things are hellish here in Italy and there is a lot of stress in the air ;_; Please be careful!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back to another edition of "Hubert Von Vestra is an awkward goth at romance" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</p><p>All the titles of my Huleth fics come from his S Support dialogue ashjgffgkg</p><p>Also, English is not my first language, so forgive me for any typos ;_;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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